Two projects supported by AXA Art Insurance have recently been shortlisted for the 2010 Conservation Awards – ‘Valuing Excellence’: Tate AXA Art Modern Paints Project (TAAMPP), through Tate, has been shortlisted for The Anna Plowden Trust Award for Research and Innovation in Conservation, which is given for a completed research or development project that has advanced the knowledge of conservation.
Salvaged: Restoring the Sirens and Ulysses – through Queens Park Conservation Studios & Manchester City Art Gallery – has been shortlisted for The Pilgrim Trust Award for Conservation, which is given to an outstanding project to conserve individual or collections of objects, or decorative, artistic or fine crafted elements of historic buildings (but not the building itself), or monuments and sculptures.
Dr. Ulrich Guntram, Chairman of the Management Board of AXA Art Insurance, said of the TAAMPP that, “As a result of TAAMPP the art world has benefitted from a better understanding of the nature of works of art made from acrylic paints.”
The extensive research and novel results generated by TAAMPP have meant that AXA Art is able to guide its customers, and other art collectors, to a significant bank of knowledge about the conservation and preservation of works of art executed with acrylic paints. The close collaboration has allowed AXA Art and Tate to jointly publish Caring for Acrylics: Modern and Contemporary Paintings (right) – an easy-to-use guide for collectors and conservators.
For many years AXA Art has been supporting international research projects aimed at establishing and improving art conservation techniques. The AXA Art Research Grant (AARG) continues to sponsor a variety of institutions in their quest to better understand the nature of artistic media. As the world’s only art-led insurance company, AXA Art takes great pride in its unrivalled network of specialists, on whose knowledge we draw to best support our customers. The latest AARG recipient has just been announced.
The TAAMPP was the first corporate sponsorship of conservation science research at Tate. Through it, AXA Art has facilitated ground-breaking research into acrylic paints by looking into their fundamental properties, their long-term behaviour and the effects of conservation treatments such as surface cleaning.
“We are delighted”, says Dr. Guntram “that the TAAMPP has been shortlisted for the prestigious ICON Conservation Award, and much encouraged to continue our support for preservation and conservation of the art world’s heritage.”
Source : AXA Art Press Release
